Last Carnival
by Avaetin
Summary: The first time Perseus Jackson chanced upon Nico di Angelo was purely coincidental, and perhaps – in the complex perception of the former –magical. And for a second, just that second, Percy could delude himself that those eyes were staring at him before they fleeted away. [Percy Jackson/violinist!Nico di Angelo] (High School! AU)
1. Chapter 1 : Hydrangea

_**Pairing:** Percy Jackson/Nico di Angelo [where Percy is a regular junior with no inclination to music other than modern and popular ones and wherein Nico is a sophomore violinist]_

 ** _Note: This story does not follow their age difference. Percy would be seventeen here while Nico is turning sixteen._**

 _Annabeth Chase - cellist (17 y.o.)_

 _Hazel Levesque - pianist (16 y.o.)_

 **Summary:** The first time Perseus Jackson chanced upon Nico di Angelo was purely coincidental, and perhaps – in the complex perception of the former – _magical_. And for a second, just that second, Percy could delude himself that those eyes were staring at him before they fleeted away.

 **RECOMMENDATION: Listen to Norihiro Tsuru's Last Carnival while reading. It is what I listened to while writing this story.**

 **Disclaimer:** Percy Jackson and its characters solely belong to Rick Riordan..

 _This story **may** consist of **four parts**._

 ** _This story can be found on Tumblr._**

* * *

 ** _Chapter 1 : Hydrangea_**

* * *

 _Hydrangea_ : _heartfelt emotions_.

 _It can be used to express_ _gratitude for being understood._

 _In its negative sense hydrangea symbolizes frigidity and heartlessness._

* * *

The first time Perseus Jackson chanced upon Nico di Angelo was purely coincidental, and perhaps – in the complex perception of the former – _magical_.

Music holds a form of surreal and captivating enchantment, of kaleidoscopic variations, dependent on the musical genre or of emotions a chosen, crafted piece might invoke. Varying from chording that invoked exhilarating accompaniments, to bittersweet melodies that tugged heartstrings, it is a vast field of open doors; of endless forms to be explored. Music is a complex form of art that holds no concrete meaning, whichever piece it might be, as dozens of depictions might be drawn depending on what they invoke or how highly one would value it in their hearts.

Perseus Jackson, commonly and preferably addressed to as Percy Jackson instead, perceived music in no such manner. True, it is almost improbable to find any individual not inclined to music of any variation, but Percy was the epitome of the typical teenager – all lean and tall physique of tanned skin, tousled raven-black locks, and vibrant sea-green irises – who is much inclined to modern, popular music. Percy had never been a fan of classical pieces and neither had he held a scintilla of interest when it came to a bunch of chording with no lyrics attached to them. No, that was not his inclination. But that was the inclination of one of his closest friends, and he was never one to divulge his disinterest on what highly mattered to his companions.

Annabeth Chase, said close friend of his, is a natural blond teen with an evenly proportionate body, disheveled locks that just seemed to frame her features perfectly, and captivating eyes that seemed to swirl with the hue of stormy gray clouds. Though an inspiring architect, she held just as much passion for music; specifically, the cello. Percy questioned the inclination to the said instrument, though his exact words were actually, _'It looks like an oversized violin. I figured you were a flute person.'_ which promptly earned him a harsh whack on the back of his head.

The first time Percy had heard Annabeth play the instrument, it was then did he understood of his companion's choice. Though much of the sound it produced were low, it held a certain mellow quality to it, and the sounds seemed to flow with such consistency to it that undeniably matched the teenager's personality. But the movement of her right arm and the graceful flexes of her wrist, the subtle shifts in her body as she dragged the bow along the instrument's strings and as she constantly changed chords, it was as if the instrument was a part of her body; that they were one and the same.

Percy never repeated his words since then, and had been very much supportive of his friend's musical inclination. But he was not the least bit interested as the blond teen was; not by a long shot.

That is, until he chanced upon Nico di Angelo.

* * *

' _Chanced upon_ ' might not actually be the most accurate description of their encounter. It was not as if they met face-to-face the first time that Percy did _really_ notice him.

Goode High School was one of those academies that placed extremely high priority on student excellence, and the music department was not exempted from that high pedestal as it was one of the prided few. Recitals occurred on a regular occasion, and such was the case when Percy found himself outside the school auditorium. Annabeth had been one of the few exceptional students that had been chosen to perform compositions during the winter recital, and Percy had to extend his support by coming to watch the preparations. With due honesty, this was not how he would rather spend his after school hours, but he would rather not break a promise. Not when he had made one.

Suppressing a long sigh that was threatening to spill from his chapped, pale lips, Percy quietly pushed the one of the double doors open, just as the sensuous sound of a violin started to play.

Percy could _never_ forget that enchanting melody that reverberated throughout the entire auditorium, of the harmonious chording within a bittersweet tune that had his heart pulsating _almost_ painfully. A violin always held such an impact to him, if he were to ever admit it. A surreal grace and undisputed nobility that was ingrained to the instrument alone. But the rich yet bittersweet melody that were induced as bow hair glided along the bow strings, were utterly breathtaking that he found himself pausing for almost a minute by the open door, listening attentively to the sound as his heart constantly fluttered in such a complex way that he could hardly define for himself. He vaguely registered a piano and a cello – Annabeth – playing along with the violin, for his ears were so subconsciously attuned to the rich sound from the violin.

When the sound of the violin drifted off, to be replaced by the cello, only did Percy found himself snapping back to reality. With a ragged intake of breath, he hastily walked to the side of the auditorium where the shadows pooled the thickest, leaning against the slightly rough surface of maroon carpeted walls, eyes immensely focusing on the stage.

There were a total of three students atop the stage, basking underneath the warm yet gleaming rays of the stage lights. Various equipment such as microphones and adjustable music stands were strategically placed on the stage, aside from the grand white piano that was already situated atop, where an African-American female teenager – most likely a sophomore – was seated behind, slender fingers dancing elegantly along the keys. The pianist had a rich cinnamon brown curly hair pulled back to a loose ponytail, and her eyes – underneath the glaring lights – seemed to gleam like gold from afar. There was a soft expression adorning her features that utterly reflected the sounds the piano was producing as an accompaniment, and it seemed like an odd yet fitting mix between sensuality and innocence.

With the cello, junior student Annabeth Chase was playing with that same expression that Percy saw back when she had played for him for the first time, though with a tad bit more sensuality, focus, and grace towards her movement. Her head seemed to follow the movements of her bow, though less subtle and with a little more sway to it. For a second, Percy could not see the architect that she always aspired to be. Rather, there was a professional cellist.

But what captivated him most was the violinist, a male teenager – presumably a sophomore like the pianist – with a lean and fairly tall build, of naturally disheveled jet-black shoulder-length locks that curled at the tip, framing his soft features delicately. Underneath the stage lights, his skin almost appeared ghostly pale – perhaps more to an albino – that made the teen much surreal in his eyes; an angel, despite the all-black get-up. And his eyes, _those_ eyes, seemed to glint with a hint of topaz within them. His jaw firmly rested along the chin rest and the lower back of the violin rested delicately on his peeking collar bones. His left hand rested perfectly in position along the top part of the neck of the violin, while his right hand was along his side as he rested, awaiting patiently for his parts to come to play.

When it was his time to play once more, Percy observed with such fascination how the bow glided smoothly along the strings, and the graceful and fluid movements of delicate fingers as they shifted from chord to chord. The violinist would flex his wrist in an elegant motion that was entirely _too_ natural and _too_ perfect in the eyes of the male junior student. The male sophomore had his posture fixed to a straight back, yet his body would often sway or dip in movements that would accentuate how he was getting lost within the music and would simply further captivate Percy's eyes. Those eyes that gleamed with the barest hint of topaz hues seemed to swirl like molten lava even from afar, expressing the purest emotions that its melody expressed. There was passion and affection along with the sensuality, and the barest hint of remorse that supported the bittersweet tune that was of the music.

For once, Percy was captivated; _truly_ captivated. For once, he found himself inclined towards that bittersweet melody that reverberated within the auditorium. If he were to close his eyes – one he would rather not risk at the moment – he could feel the music with a much higher intensity. He would feel that rich music of the violin sensually caressing every inch of his soul in fleeting, butterfly touches. He would feel the bittersweet tune tugging at his heartstrings, forcing his heart to palpitate erratically in an uneven rhythm.

When the music ended and the violin played its last note, the violinist carefully raised his head against the chin rest, glancing up with those eyes that still remained glazed with a raw emotion that seemed to take his breath away.

For a second, just _that_ second, Percy could delude himself that those eyes were staring at him before they fleeted away.

Percy Jackson could _never_ forget the intensity and the raw burning passion within those eyes.

If he had not allowed for his eyes to fleet away, Percy might have seen that barest hint of remorse that clouded dark brown eyes for a split second, before it faded away.

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _Continua_


	2. Chapter 2 : Rosebud

_**Pairing:** Percy Jackson/Nico di Angelo [where Percy is a regular junior with no inclination to music other than modern and popular ones and wherein Nico is a sophomore violinist]_

 ** _Note: This story does not follow their age difference. Percy would be seventeen here while Nico is turning sixteen._**

 _Annabeth Chase - cellist (17 y.o.)_

 _Hazel Levesque - pianist (16 y.o.)_

 **Summary:** The first time Perseus Jackson chanced upon Nico di Angelo was purely coincidental, and perhaps – in the complex perception of the former – _magical_. And for a second, just that second, Percy could delude himself that those eyes were staring at him before they fleeted away.

 **RECOMMENDATION: Listen to Norihiro Tsuru and Yuriko Nakamura's "Eternity" while reading. It is what I listened to while writing this chapter.**

 **Disclaimer:** Percy Jackson and its characters solely belong to Rick Riordan..

 _This story **may** consist of **four parts**._

 ** _This story can be found on Tumblr._**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 2 : Rosebud**_

* * *

 _Rosebud: Beauty and You_

 _A Heart Innocent of Love_

* * *

There was a faint tugging on Percy's heart causing it to palpitate in its own unique rhythm, as if an apparition's freezing fingertips delicately plucked at his heartstrings like a lyre. An acceptably light buzzing resonated within his ears; the final note seemed to linger within his mind. For once, it was as if breathing was such a tasking chore, and all his senses were hyperactive for some reason he could not fathom. A dull ache throbbed along his chest, increasing but with a subdued intensity.

Risking a glance towards the stage, Percy clearly registered the hunched form of that surreal individual, his eyelids shrouding those beautiful irises that the junior had seen ever so briefly. Full, thin lips parted and moved in an enchanting manner as the sophomore conversed with one of the school's music teacher, Apollo. His gestures and expression easily gave away that he was disinterested of their exchange, and the curt replies that parted his lips merely supported the fact. With a curt nod, the violinist straightened his posture before exiting the stage, trudging towards the farthest end of the auditorium where he had placed his violin case. The pianist soon followed the teen, her demeanor seeming to take on a much cheery disposition as she did so.

Ripping his eyes from the silent violinist, Percy carefully made his way towards the stage just as Annabeth – who had then stepped off the stage – was securing her cello firmly onto her black cello case. A pleased smile curled her lips, greeting him warmly as he approached and stopped a mere few feet from her.

"You played really well. I really enjoy that piece," Percy commented, returning her smile with his own natural ones.

Her lips curled ever the more, but there was a hint of mischief and incredulity there that Percy dreaded seeing. Those usually guarded stormy gray eyes only made it much obvious that there was something in her calculative mind that he might or might not dread to hear, but otherwise would.

"Really? You seem to enjoy the violin more, if your reaction was anything to go by," Annabeth commented amusedly, delighting in the barest hint of red dusting her friend's cheeks. "Or perhaps, were you more enamored with Nico?"

"Nico?" he repeated the name, ignoring how natural it sounded rolling off of his tongue.

Annabeth lightly cocked her head towards the male sophomore who was preoccupied then with securing his violin inside his case. Percy could have sworn that there was a picture inside the case, but it might have just been a trick of his eyes as the case slid shut before he could further indulge himself to clarify.

"Nico di Angelo. Sophomore student of Goode High School. He is the best of the best out of all the violinist in the music department," another person voiced out, and Annabeth straightened her posture completely as the music teacher approached them.

"Apollo," Percy greeted with a slight nod, a goofy smile lifting his lips.

Apollo was one of those teachers that was truly easy to get along with, exclusive of when he had those moments of blurting out bad haikus for some unknown reason. The music teacher actually leaned more towards the image of a surfer, with his physique, blond hair and sparkling blue eyes. His real name was confidential, one that probably only the higher-ups within the school faculty knew. The music teacher preferred to be called by such, claiming, though more out of amusement, that he was the god of music. The students never complained, and found amusement rather as they began bestowing specific god names for most of the faculty.

"Percy Jackson. I hope you're not here to cause any trouble like you did in the Chemistry lab a few weeks back," Apollo commented with a knowing smile before redirecting his attention to his violinist and pianist.

"My violinist's name is Nico. Though he knows how to play the piano as well, his passion is much more towards the violin. He has only rejoined the music department a few weeks back when his half-sister persuaded him to join," Apollo elaborated. "That's Hazel Levesque, my pianist."

It had to be a joke, but with the manner by which Apollo spoke, Percy could only question on which ground was there a form of similarity between the two sophomores. Whereas the pianist, Hazel, was a teenager of an open and cheery disposition, Nico – and how _delightful_ was the name now, resting on his tongue – looked more of the completely reserved type.

"Rejoin? And 'half-sister'?" Percy questioned, a frown decorating his features out of sheer curiosity.

"Nico was part of the music department a few years back until…" Annabeth trailed off for a few seconds before slightly coughing to excuse her pause. "Anyway, he only rejoined about a few weeks back. Hazel convinced him to play the violin once more and he agreed, if and only if Hazel was playing along with him."

"As for the half-sister part, I think it's not for us to talk about," Annabeth concluded, carefully placing her case on her back and securing the straps on her shoulders.

Apollo nodded in agreement, watching the siblings with a thoughtful expression.

"Yes. I am glad to have him back, though he still withholds himself – emotions and all – when he plays..." Apollo murmured more to himself.

 _What more could he show?_ Percy found himself thinking as he gazed thoughtfully at the male sophomore, taking in the distant expression that clouded those features despite that strong façade of indifference that he was putting up. Once more, he found himself staring intensely, his eyes magnetized with the manner by which jet-black locks bounced and swayed lightly with each and every movement the teenager made.

"He's an eye candy, isn't he?" Apollo teased from his side, causing Percy to look up with a faint scowl, trying to mask his embarrassment at being caught staring far too long than what was normal.

"That's not a very… good term," Percy responded, glancing down. "He's just… He looks too _perfect_ when he plays the violin."

Sparkling blue eyes hardened by a fraction at that statement, a tinge of anger and sadness fleeting those eyes for a split second before he redirected them to the parting figures. His eyes were specifically trained on his violinist, sympathy and a hint of remorse crossing his own features.

"No," Apollo whispered, too soft to be heard by anyone but him. "It is where he looks the most fragile."

* * *

The second instance Perseus Jackson chanced upon Nico di Angelo was not, by any means, coincidental. Yet, it was just as much truly _magical_ , and just as much _heartbreaking_.

It was almost natural how Percy would find himself – dragged subconsciously by his feet – to where he had first seen Nico di Angelo. Every moment that he could get to close his eyes, his thoughts would always drift to that surreal figure and how he, as if of one entity, played the violin with an alluring and captivating grace. His memory, though slowly dimming as the days passed, remembered the raw expression within those eyes. The music would then slowly play on the back of his mind, with the violin inducing goosebumps along his skin and trembles to wrack his body. It still faintly tugged at his heart with that bittersweet melody that he had come to adore.

If moral support had to be the excuse he would have to offer to see Nico di Angelo play the violin once more, then so be it.

Pushing through the double-doors just as he did before, Percy listened intently to the tender and harmonious melody coming from the piano. It was soft and delicate, and there was a vulnerability to it that he could not comprehend. Silently, he approached where he once was – hiding amongst the shadows that the auditorium had to offer – and lifted sea-green eyes towards the stage.

Annabeth, surprisingly, was not on top of the stage. Rather, she was seated on one of the front row seats, admiring the half-siblings who were then playing a different piece from the one that he had heard before. It was just as much bittersweet, maybe slightly less heartbreaking than the first piece, but equally _beautiful_. Yet, it sounded… _lonely_. The piano played for a longer interval before it was joined by the violin, and Percy had his breath hitch once more as he silently admire Nico.

Nico's eyes were half-lidded as his bow and fingers danced gracefully – like fleeting touches – atop the strings. The sound produced by the violin always has this certain air to it that demanded attention; one that was willingly provided by the junior student. When the melodies blended into a single harmony, only then did the song made such a critical impact. It _was_ a bittersweet song, but it was devastatingly _lonely_. Every music has a story attached to it, and if Percy were to think of one that would best fit such a song, perhaps it was that of a separation; of being left behind. Being alone. Truly and hopelessly alone.

Nico's movements were every bit as graceful as it were the previous session, but there was that startling contrast reflected by his eyes. He seemed _hurt_ and _alone_ , and it almost appeared hollow if not for those brimming emotions.

"Nico had always been a wonderful violinist."

Percy pried his eyes away from the sophomore for a second, the barest hint of surprise gracing his eyes as he acknowledge Apollo beside him, leaning back against the carpeted wall. Those blue eyes were firmly fixated onto his students, a look of pride and unfathomable emotions in his eyes.

"Bianca di Angelo, his biological older sister, was the one who taught him how to play," Apollo continued without glancing at his direction. "She was just as much a prodigy with the violin as Nico is, though Nico has the upper hand as he is also capable of playing the piano. And she was every bit as much beautiful as Nico is. They were always a pair: Bianca was like the sun while Nico was the moon. Bianca provided radiance while Nico provided calm."

"What happened to her?" Percy questioned, noticing that the music teacher was referring to Nico's sister in the past tense.

"She died in a car accident. Her and their mother, Maria di Angelo," Apollo explained, a soft sigh escaping his lips. "Their father was devastated, but he moved on so quickly with another woman, leaving Nico behind to cater for himself. A month after the accident, Hazel showed up on the steps of the house where Nico was – all alone. He found out his father had committed infidelity in his marriage to Nico's mother, and I think you can guess how that must feel."

Percy swallowed the lump on his throat, his eyes redirecting once more to the half-siblings as they continued to play.

"Nico took her in, and it was just the barest semblance of rationality that pulled it through. Ever since his sister died, he always had that broken look in his eyes," Apollo continued. "He dropped off from the music department and never touched the violin for a long time. It reminded him of his sister too much, and the music that once made him happy now brought him ill memories."

"Hazel pulled him through. His eyes are less severe now; less broken than what it was before. But, it hold just a little life to it," was the explanation. "That is why the music he plays are always bittersweet; sad. He is not merely playing an instrument. He is telling his _life._ "

No words were spoken between the two for a full minute, allowing the bittersweet melody to fill the silence that hung between them in an uncomfortable curtain. Percy would have never guessed such a thing from observing Nico; that he was every bit as broken as his bittersweet music told.

"Why are you telling me this, Apollo?" Percy inquired after a while, his eyes still fixed onto the violinist.

"You called him ' _perfect'_ once," Apollo responded with a shrug. "Nico is by no means _'perfect'_. Your admiration for him is misplaced. I want you to admire him, not for what he does, but for what it took for him to play the music he had loved so much before once more."

When the last note drifted and lingered like a faint buzz across the auditorium, Apollo lifted himself from against the wall, patted Percy's shoulder once, before he approached the stage to where the half-siblings were.

Even as they packed up and left, leaving Percy on his own inside the auditorium after he had told Annabeth that he would catch up with her, Percy could not find it in himself to move just yet.

Another music tugged at his heartstrings once more, yet this one left a dull ache in his chest.

Nico was not a surreal being. Without the gleaming stage lights casting down upon him, he was just another human being in a sea amongst others.

Nico was just a human being that managed to play with Percy's heart, tugging it along painfully as his music narrated his life for him.

It was just another bittersweet melody, but it _broke_ his heart.

* * *

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _Continua_


	3. Chapter 3 : Matthiola Incana

_**Pairing:** Percy Jackson/Nico di Angelo [where Percy is a regular junior with no inclination to music other than modern and popular ones and wherein Nico is a sophomore violinist]_

 _ **Note: This story does not follow their age difference. Percy would be seventeen here while Nico is turning sixteen**._

 ** _Please refer to the end of this chapter for the list of characters and their status on the school._**

 **Summary:** The first time Perseus Jackson chanced upon Nico di Angelo was purely coincidental, and perhaps – in the complex perception of the former – _magical_. And for a second, just that second, Percy could delude himself that those eyes were staring at him before they fleeted away.

 **RECOMMENDATION: Forgotten Sorrow is by Ryo Kunihiko.**

 **Disclaimer:** Percy Jackson and its characters solely belong to Rick Riordan.

 _This story **may** consist of **four parts**._

 ** _This story can be found on Tumblr._**

* * *

 ** _Chapter 3 : Matthiola Incana (Stock)_**

* * *

 _Matthiola Incana : Bonds of Affection;_

 _Promptness;_

" _You'll Always Be Beautiful to Me"_

* * *

The first time Perseus Jackson indulged in a discussion regarding Nico di Angelo was indisputably due to his growing admiration and notable respect – and perhaps an _undetermined_ amount of affection.

And should ever his fellow junior, Annabeth Chase, were to mention his growing… _infatuation_ for one whom he had only chanced upon twice in the midst of such a cliché yet romantic setting, Percy would vehemently deny it.

A vintage parchment was carefully placed before him; sophisticated and elegant by sheer appearance alone, the mechanism of a clockwork orange framing the printed, cursive text. With dazed sea-green eyes, Percy slowly lifted his attention from his half-eaten club sandwich and gazed into amused stormy-gray irises.

A few days of interval since the last recital practice, and they were seated at their usual cafeteria table – a few feet from the double-door that is one of the entrance and a considerable distance from the queue. Considerably one of those dubbed _'popular tables'_ , it was one of those few that people would steer away from despite that the occupants were of good nature. It was, in some form, a typical hierarchical standing which students subconsciously followed, much to Percy's distaste.

" _His_ table is over there," Annabeth started, casually pointing to the other side of the cafeteria, to another table that was pressed against one of the corners and just a mere few feet from the other entrance.

It was one of those tables that simply blend within the bright background for those individuals that likely kept a low profile within the campus; the very few that Percy had never paid any attention to. Surrounding said Nico di Angelo were four students – sophomores Will Solace and Hazel Levesque, and juniors Frank Zhang and Reyna Avila-Ramirez Arellano; all of whom Percy could name from connections alone. Said male sophomore had his eyes – a very deep and dark brown, according to Annabeth instead of the topaz hue that Percy mistook it for under the stage lights – casted down at the table, those thin and full lips parting once in a while as Nico pressed grapes one by one past his lips. Percy found himself staring longer than what was normal, only steeling his eyes away once he heard a soft, yet amused cough from his female best friend.

"Just saying if you ever want to drool at him outside of recital practices," Annabeth added, lips quirking up in an amused smile, resuming before Percy could vehemently protest the accusation. "Anyway, here is the recital program, in case you wish to know."

Frowning, Percy lowered his lunch, briefly patting his hands clean of crumbs before deftly picking the parchment up and bringing it up to eye level. _Three pieces_ , was the thought in his head as he skimmed through the details. Technically, he simply searched for ones that had the said teenager's name and counted them in his head. Of course he would be supporting Annabeth, but it was just that Nico… _well_ …

"Nico and his sister, Hazel, will be playing three pieces. I will play for two out of those three pieces," Annabeth explained to him as he lowered the parchment atop the table. " _Last Carnival_ is the first one you listened to. _Eternity_ is the one Nico and Hazel played a few days back."

Percy only absent-mindedly nodded at her explanation, his attention drifting once more to the table at the other side of the cafeteria. It was a fairly lively group, that much he was certain of since he knew those individuals aside from the half-siblings. Frank Zhang was a member of the school's football team – _a softie despite his size_ , Percy mused – and Reyna Avila-Ramirez Arellano was one of those important leaders within the student council who possessed a strong and respectable personality. Will Solace is that pleasant and easy-to-get-along-with son of the music teacher, Apollo, though Will never did took on his father's last name due to personal family matters. Hazel Levesque – he could conclude that she was a nice girl of a cheery disposition, and she seemed to capture Frank's attention completely.

Where Nico fits in the group, Percy could only question, but he seemed at ease with their company.

" _Oh, man_. _Blond Superman_ is lucky _Beauty Queen_ is temporarily preoccupied with her co-curricular activities, else she would have thrown a jealous fit, seeing him with Reyna."

Leo Valdez – one of the individuals on Percy's table and head of the school's mechatronics club – commented with a small groan just as Jason Grace – co-captain of the football team and one of their own – entered from the other side of the school cafeteria, seeming to be at complete ease as he sat on the table beside Nico di Angelo. Said latter glanced up from underneath long lashes, a subtle yet natural smile curling his lips as he acknowledge the blond.

Percy steeled his eyes away once more, casting them down on the surface of the table where his hands had subconsciously clenched into fists. There was a certain unease that pooled at the pit of his stomach; him unaware what it was due to. Or rather, he dare not name it; _not too soon_.

"I didn't know Jason was friends with Nico," Percy found himself commenting, engaging in a conversation once more with Annabeth.

Leo joined the conversation before she could respond.

"The real question here is since when have you known _Zombie Dude_ , eh _Aquaman_?" Leo questioned, arching one of his brows out of curiosity.

" _Zombie Dude_?" Percy questioned.

"He's referring to Nico, of course," Annabeth huffed, blowing a few strands of blonde locks from her features.

"Yeah. He has that creepy Goth look to him. Of course, I have a lot more names to offer if you want a list," Leo offered with a heshire grin.

Percy frowned at that.

"He's equally as Goth as Thalia is," Percy remarked with a deepening frown. "And you don't call Thalia with those names at all."

"First of all, _mi amigo_ , Thalia's style is punk and not Goth. She would obliterate you if she hears you calling her style as Goth. Second, you _never_ give names to Jason's sister. That is like asking for a death sentence. Of course, you get away a bit because of _Wise Girl_ here, but…" Leo rambled on and on, causing Annabeth to heave a sigh as she carefully took the parchment in her hands.

"Anyway, spill. How did you know our Goth kid over there?" Leo finally concluded after his incessant rambling.

"Nico would be pissed that you even consider his style Goth, Leo," Annabeth chided, pointing her fork at him as she slowly consumed her salad. "He just likes the color black. Totally not Goth."

"Anyway," Percy interrupted before the Latino could retort or start an argument which he would undoubtedly lose. "I have been giving _Wise Girl_ here some support by attending her recital practices and actual recital. I haven't actually talked to the kid yet, but I saw him play the violin during the practices."

"And our _Seaweed Brain_ here is now enamored with Nico di Angelo," Annabeth pressed, a playful smile lifting her lips. "He only has his eyes on Nico when the latter starts playing the violin. _'Moral support'_? That's a very good excuse, Percy. Really now."

"Woah! Don't know how _that_ will work out for you. Well, good luck with that, _dude_ ," Leo stressed the last word, playfully nudging Percy on his side with his elbow before the junior could voice his protest or be in denial.

Sea-green eyes drifted back towards the table just as Jason Grace burst into laughter, startling most of the students at his loud exclamation before he could clamp his mouth shut. The occupants of the table had their heads shaking, though visible smiles were on their lips. And Nico, just slightly more visible, was actually flashing a small but natural smile.

That smile caused tumbles and flips on the pit of his stomach than he would care to admit, and a dozen of emotions had his heart alternating from painful clenches to blissful flutters. It was a sight that Percy was certain that he would _never_ tire of. It was refreshing, _alluring_ , _enticing_ …

"Yeah," Percy muttered half-heartedly in response to the Latino's poor encouragement, oblivious to the intrigued expression that danced across his female bestfriend's beautiful features.

* * *

The first time Perseus Jackson _actually_ met Nico di Angelo was on a wintry afternoon. With their breaths – visible – mingling inside that vast room and the proximity between their bodies, to Perseus Jackson, he could not recall a time he had been any happier.

It was one of those common occasions that Percy had found himself pacing all over the campus, lacking of the desire to go home; _not just yet_. _This_ was his second home, wherein there lacked that confinement his room provided. It was chilling; the wintry breeze was slipping through his jacket, but he found that it mattered little. Soon enough, he was standing outside the auditorium once more. There was a distinct lack of music – those bittersweet melodies – and he had to admit that he was slightly disappointed that there would not be another practice until a few more days.

Just as Percy was about to turn around, he halted midstep as a soft music started to play from inside the auditorium. _The piano?_ Percy questioned, head turning towards the double-doors where the melody was coming from. Before he could reconsider, he was already inside the auditorium, walking once more to where he usually stood, leaning against the maroon carpeted wall.

Percy had expected the pianist to be Hazel Levesque – she was the only one he had ever seen playing the piano – but seated behind the white grand piano was Nico di Angelo, oblivious to the presence of Perseus Jackson as he had his eyes close while his delicate fingers danced gracefully and effortlessly across the keys, playing another bittersweet melody he might as well claim as his own. In that moment, within that vast room and with his eyes drifting close, Percy could pretend that Nico was playing that bittersweet melody for him. Him and him _alone_.

"Did Apollo send you?"

Sea-green eyes fluttered open, staring directly from that distance into dark brown irises. The sophomore was still playing that sad tune, but his eyes had long drifted from the keys, gazing intensely then onto his sea-green eyes. For a minute, Percy was tongue-tied, uncertain of what there was for him to say. Should he apologize for the intrusion? Pretend that Apollo sent him?

And that voice, _gods_ that voice was almost as smooth as velvet, and just as rich and alluring to his ears, but it held an authority that was definitive.

"I'm sorry," Percy answered slowly in a slightly loud voice, pushing himself off of the wall as he cautiously made his way over, their gaze still locked. "I always come here to listen ever since the practices for the recital started. I know that there's no practice today. I guess… I just kind of headed here without really thinking."

Nico seemed startled for a second, but his calm composure settled once more on his features as he gave a curt nod. He did not stop playing the piano, even as Percy quietly stepped onto the stage, stopping just beside the grand piano as if uncertain whether or not he was invading the teenager's personal space.

"Do you like this music?" Nico questioned in a low voice when Percy simply watched him in silence. Percy tilted his head slightly to the side, unsure what the teenager meant, and Nico noticed that. "Instrumental music, I mean."

"I don't know," Percy admitted almost sheepishly, flashing a small and slightly apologetic smile at the younger teen. "Up until a few days ago, all I ever listened to was the modern and popular music."

Nico frowned at that, and his displeasure was slightly accentuated when he had slammed a finger none too lightly on one of the keys.

"But… I really love the first one you played," Percy continued, lowering his eyes to watch as the graceful movement of those fingers. "I started attending the recital practices to watch and listen as you play."

A note – louder than the previous ones – resonated throughout the auditorium, the music cutting off all of a sudden. Startled, Percy looked up at the younger teen, only to find him slightly startled with a tinge of red dusting his cheeks. In that close proximity, he could see for himself with a crystalline clarity those winsome features without the glare of the stage lights making the teen appear as surreal. His skin truly was pale, and there were visible dark lines under his eyes. His lips were just a slight bit chapped, but it held just a brush of pinkish tint to it. Small puffs of breath parted his lips, visible inside that chilling vicinity. If there was anything that could possibly indicate that he was freezing, Nico was not giving any signs away.

"I… Thank you," was the mumbled reply as the teen cautiously pulled his hands back from the piano keys and began playing instead with a silver skull finger which rested on one of his fingers.

"Why aren't you playing the violin today?" Percy asked with a slight cough, noting how the younger teen's gesture spoke in great volumes of him fidgeting. _Awkward situation. Smooth, Percy._ He mentally berated himself.

Nico glanced away from the piano, a hard edge settling onto his eyes as he gripped the ring tight.

"I only play the violin when Hazel plays the piano," was the cold response, and Percy could tell that he had suddenly stepped on a far too personal subject, and he suddenly remembered what Apollo had mentioned to him the last time.

" _He dropped off from the music department and never touched the violin for a long time. It reminded him of his sister too much, and the music that once made him happy now brought him ill memories."_

 _Of course._ Percy thought to himself, suddenly apologetic that he had breached a bad topic. _It would remind him of her if he were to play it on his own._

"The first piece that Hazel – my half-sister and the pianist – Annabeth – the cellist – and I played was called ' _Last Carnival'_ , composed for an album called ' _For your Memories'_ ," Nico cut through his thoughts, grasping his attention completely with his words. "The second piece which Hazel and I played was called _'Eternity'_ for the album _'For your Loneliness'_."

"What was the piece you were playing just now called?" Percy asked, watching as a sad smile curled those lips as delicate fingers brushed across the piano keys.

"' _Forgotten Sorrow'_. It's of a different composer," Nico murmured, tracing the piano keys with a distant expression on his features.

There was so much that Percy could have said then; so much that he could have questioned in order to discover details of the mysterious student's personal life. Yet, there were boundaries that he was certain he should not cross, and that alone left him tongue-tied.

Nico's words simply confirmed what he was well aware of: that the pieces reflected sadness in its raw form. To his ears, they sounded bittersweet, and perhaps they were. But his interpretation comparatively to Nico's… there were dozens of possibilities, but none of which might come close to his.

"Why do you play such bittersweet music?" Percy had to ask, his lips pressing firmly to a firm line.

Nico briefly chuckled at that, a flash of pain and loneliness crossing his eyes for a brief moment before they dulled to nothing.

"Believe me when I say to you that the most beautiful pieces are born from pain. Why do people listen to sad music when they are sad? Music simply bring out what we feel within us, intensifying it and playing it out to depict our stories in some ways," Nico answered, his eyes closing once more as his fingers danced on the piano keys.

"Raw emotions of pain are the purest in form. They hold the greatest meaning of happiness; that it is fleeting. No upbeat or happy tune could come close to what it is. Bittersweet music though…" He trailed off.

"It tells you many different stories, but gives you one moral: nothing in this world is permanent. That is why we should grasp tight and hold dear those that we value. Before… before…"

Nico stopped playing once more, brief flashes of suppressed emotions crossing his dark brown eyes. It was heartbreaking to watch the teenager shatter and mend himself before his very eyes, with him being incapable to help. The mere sight of it was comparative to having a claw painfully clutch and squeeze around his heart, coaxing it to burst from within. It was _unbearable_.

Taking a shuddering breath, Percy carefully stepped closer to the teen, taking a seat close to the edge of the stool to give the teen a semblance of his personal space. For once, he did not cast a glance at the teen who had gone frigid once he had occupied a space on the piano stool bench.

"Apollo mentioned that the music a musician plays could tell much more of a person's life. So… Why don't you tell me the story of your life?" Percy questioned, a hopeful tone in his voice as he gestured at the piano.

Percy fixed an encouraging smile on his lips, his eyes meeting the teen's once more in a silent yet contemplative exchange. Nico seemed to hesitate for a second, his eyes drifting from the piano, then towards Percy, and back again.

"… It's a long and sad story," Nico answered cautiously, lifting one of his hands as he pressed on random keys.

"I've got time," Percy encouraged with a smile that only widened as the younger teen started to play the pieces he had heard days ago, only that he had played with his violin.

In that room, within that proximity, Percy knew that it was true; that he would _always_ have all the time in the world if it meant being able to listen to Nico play. As the younger teen continued to play the piano with his eyes closing occasionally as if the mere gesture would intensify the emotions trying to break free from his eyes, Percy could only focus alone on such bittersweet melodies that plucked his heartstrings like lyre and ignited something _sensual_ , something _endearing_ and _bold_ and _enchanting_ and _enticing_ … All of which within him.

And when Nico di Angelo naturally laughed one time – slight crinkles at the corners of his eyes, and his luscious lips slightly parted but stretched out to a natural smile – in the midst of Percy's colourful cussing as he fumbled on the basics of playing a piano, Percy was certain that he had never felt his chest so _full_ before, a warm and fuzzy emotion spreading throughout even to the tips of his fingers as the proximity between them lessened bit by bit. Their fingers brushed with fleeting touches against each other if only accidental. But to Percy, it was simply _natural_ , and it was as if sparks ignited each and every single time their skin would brush.

Nico di Angelo was a broken soul, but it was that broken, _beautiful_ soul that Perseus Jackson found a sense of calm and peace in a way that he had yet to with anyone else.

At the end of the day did Perseus Jackson only realize that neither of them had introduced their names. But he knew Nico, and Nico knew him, through the music that they tried to play with mingled breaths inside a closed room.

.

.

.

 _Continua_

* * *

 _ **Sophomores:**_

 _\- Nico di Angelo (violinist & pianist [more inclined to the violin])_

 _\- Hazel Levesque (pianist)_

 _\- Will Solace (guitarist; son of "Apollo" but has more of an inclination to medicinal practices than the music industry)_

 ** _Juniors:_**

 _\- Percy Jackson (co-captain of swimming team)_

 _\- Annabeth Chase (cellist; member of the library committee)_

 _\- Grover Underwood (member of environmentalist club)_

 _\- Leo Valdez (head of mechatronics club)_

 _\- Piper McLean (undetermined; much more inclined to participating in clubs of any form that do community services)_

 _\- Jason Grace (co-captain of football team)_

 _\- Frank Zhang (member of the football team)_

 _\- Reyna Avila-Ramirez Arellano (student council officer)_


	4. Chapter 4 : Jonquil

_**Pairing:** Percy Jackson/Nico di Angelo [where Percy is a regular junior with no inclination to music other than modern and popular ones and wherein Nico is a sophomore violinist]_

 _ **Note: This story does not follow their age difference. Percy would be seventeen here while Nico is turning sixteen**._

 **Summary:** The first time Perseus Jackson chanced upon Nico di Angelo was purely coincidental, and perhaps – in the complex perception of the former – _magical_. And for a second, just that second, Percy could delude himself that those eyes were staring at him before they fleeted away.

 **RECOMMENDATION: Tears by Yuri Hiranuma.**

 _The three pieces:_

 _Last Carnival : Album 'For Your Memory'_

 _Eternity : Album 'For Your Loneliness'_

 _Tears : Album 'For Your Tears'_

 **Disclaimer:** Percy Jackson and its characters solely belong to Rick Riordan.

 _This story **consists** of **four parts**._

 ** _This story can be found on Tumblr, and now, on AO3 as well as my other works._**

* * *

 ** _Chapter 4 : Jonquil_**

* * *

 _Jonquil: Love me;_

 _Affection returned; Desire; Sympathy;_

 _Desire for affection returned_

* * *

Perseus Jackson never did truly comprehend what music essentially was until he met Nico di Angelo.

And that meeting – that day by which their paths crossed – had to be the best coincidence that ever tread unknowingly onto his bleak life.

Nico di Angelo was a fascinating individual of a million facets; each of which Perseus Jackson had come to highly respect and fondly admire as with each passing day. There was nothing constant of their meetings but the lingering, bittersweet melodies, occasional – _accidental_ – brushes of their fingers, and their mingled breaths. Percy would not have it any other way, and the proximity that the violinist permitted between them was more than enough. To accept him as a nameless companion – or how Percy assumed was the case – instead of a meddlesome stranger was more than gratifying. Listening to him play the piano for hours and hours was enough. Being with Nico di Angelo if only time-pressed by a few hours was enough.

There were details regarding the male sophomore that Percy admitted he paid close attention to. How the tips of his disheveled raven locks curled delicately at the tips; how they framed his features naturally yet to the point of perfection. How those empty dark brown eyes would flash briefly with life; a mere spark at the beginning, but igniting more and more with every rendezvous. How those full, thin lips quirked occasionally when Percy would attempt at humor, as if Nico was suppressing the urge to smile in amusement – his smiles had always been sad. How his fingers, though smooth-looking, were slightly calloused and scarred, as if to reflect the struggles in life that the owner had undergone.

And Percy treasured all of these details, admitting them with increasing confidence as days passed until when he had come to the conclusion of why that was the case.

Nico never mentioned details of himself unless he was prompted, indulging Percy with musical knowledge to distract the latter. They worked so many times that Percy would be abashed to admit to it. He had never spared a thought on musical knowledge, and that was not about to change even with Nico's influence on him to play the piano, but the hypnotizing manner by which those lips parted and moved was an easy distraction alone.

Often times, Nico would pause with his words and play a tune, and that would be when Percy would question details regarding him. At times, he stepped unintentionally on undesirable topics before quickly steering off to another. It was not his place to force Nico to open himself up to him; beyond what Nico's music had shared. Nonetheless, Percy constantly desired to be let in by Nico.

That was another constant that never left, even weeks after they had these shared meetings as they did now.

"You're doing well. Don't be too stiff and don't jam on the keys," Nico instructed him, wincing slightly as Percy struggled with the keys.

"I don't know how you manage to play this. I can feel my fingers tangling in this unending struggle," Percy grunted, sighing as he accidentally played a wrong note, but was quick to fix his mistake.

Those pale lips quirked just a slightest bit, Percy noticed with satisfaction.

"It takes practice. I think you're doing fairly well for a beginner," Nico responded in a low voice, his lips quirking once more when Percy let out a string of colorful cusses upon pressing the wrong set of keys. "But maybe piano isn't your instrument. I could ask Will to teach you the guitar and – "

"No!" Percy exclaimed, though was quick to follow it up with an excuse, lowering his eyes to the piano keys at the expression of surprise that suddenly crossed the violinist's expression. "No. I'm good. With the piano, I mean."

No, not really. But Percy would rather endure that struggle rather than lose this, whatever _this_ was, with Nico. Not to some individual that Percy might or might not harbor a scintilla of ill-emotions due to the bond said individual has with the violinist.

Nico heaved a small sigh at that, leaning slightly towards the piano as he fiddled quickly with a series of notes.

"The violin is more of my instrument, as you can tell. The piano is just my secondary extension," Nico mumbled from beside of him.

"What got you into playing the piano?" Percy questioned out of curiosity, belatedly hoping that he had not brought up a forbidden subject.

But Nico simply shrugged, his fingers drifting from the piano before resting atop his lap in loosely clenched fists. There was a fond expression in his features, as if he were reminiscing of a wonderful memory once upon a better time. A ghost of a sad smile was playing along his lips.

"Both sides of my family had always been musically inclined. My mother, specifically, had always been passionate about the piano. Growing up with her had me love that soothing melody of the piano. Playing it always make me feel closest to her…" Nico trailed off, his expression scrunching up slightly, his façade cracking along the edges, but he managed to pull through intact.

Percy suddenly wondered if he had been intruding all of these times he had been with Nico when the younger teen was playing the piano.

"Music does that, you know. Establish a special connection with people," Nico resumed, shrugging almost nonchalantly. "Sometimes, it's bad. Sometimes, it's good."

"If that's the case… Would you teach me how to play the violin instead?" Percy hesitantly inquired, regretting it almost a second later as the teen stiffened beside him, his eyes almost completely rigid once more.

"You said… You said music forms a special connection with people. The violin has always been the closest to you, and I thought…" Percy paused in his explanation, taking a shaky breath before resuming. "I thought I could be closer to you that way."

Dark brown eyes hardened by a fraction more, though a bit of pain trickled past that almost impenetrable façade.

"… I can ask Hazel to teach you piano instead if you want," Nico offered all of a sudden, startling Percy at the sudden offer and change of topic. "She's much better at it than I am."

"I'm more comfortable with you teaching me."

Percy did not intend for the statement to slip out from his lips, yet he just blurted it out as if it was the most natural thing to state. Why was Nico driving him away? The mere knowledge that that was the case when he made that offer made his heart clench and palpitate in a painful rhythm.

A small sigh came from his side, and before the junior could choose to stare at the younger male, cold fingers rested atop his own, carefully readjusting the position of his fingers atop the piano keys.

"Please don't state things that could be misinterpreted easily," was the soft murmur from his side, but he belatedly registered the sentence as his mind was still preoccupied of thoughts.

Of thoughts how pleasantly cool those hands were, atop of his. Of thoughts how they seemed to fit so naturally against his. Of thoughts how they simply _belong_ against his hands.

"What if I want you to misinterpret it?" was his rhetorical question as he cautiously overturned his hands, gently clasping cold hands against his own warm ones, intertwining their fingers firmly with no intention to let go.

Sea-green eyes gazed in earnest into those dark brown irises, silently watching as those beautiful features struggled relentlessly against either maintaining his façade or allowing for his emotions to break through those shattered eyes. Percy loathed that inner struggle that the younger teen would dare not let him see; loathed how that inner struggle slaughtered him day by day on the inside. Most of all, Percy loathed that he had to handle it all on his own because of that barricade he enclosed himself from the others.

"Percy," the junior breathed, garnering the younger teen's attention all to himself. "My name is Percy."

A hollow laugh parted those lips slightly.

"I've always known," was the curt response as a lone tear finally slipped from those shattered glass that was of his eyes.

One tear became two, and then it slowly and relentlessly trickled like a slow stream down slightly paled cheeks. It was a silent anguish, a silent struggle, a hushed declaration of defeat, a silent surrender to living. It was as if the tears washed out that almost impenetrable curtain that draped over those empty eyes, for once allowing bottled up emotions to grace those eyes once more for a few fleeting moments.

They were tragic and pained emotions – pure and raw – but they were every bit as _beautiful_ to observe, even as Percy diligently brushed his fingers against one of his cheeks, wiping relentless tears. They were beautiful because it did not reflect the negativity that they intended to show, but it proved that Nico could _feel_.

"As I've always known the story behind your music," Percy murmured, brushing his tears away. "I won't be just another subject of the bittersweet music that you always play."

In a moment of insanity, Percy leaned forward and connected their lips in a gentle clasp, the bittersweet taste that was of Nico's tears registering faintly on his tongue. _Bittersweet_ , Percy thought to himself as his eyes drifted close. _Nico had always been bittersweet_. He waited for that indication, a sign, that the younger teen would pull away, but it never came.

In that meeting, there were a few constants – the bittersweet melody, the occasional brushes of their fingers, and their mingled breaths. But it was unique, _far more uniquely_ than any previous rendezvous that they had. Their breaths mingled in a bittersweet exchange, and their skin brushed occasionally in that dire need to assure and to receive assurance. In that enclosed room, a bittersweet melody played in the innocent connection of lips; a music of shuddering sighs and unspoken apologies, of soft drips of fresh tears and sealed promises.

* * *

Some things remained constant, some things had altered and changed. Miniscule as they were, they were still changes – positive changes – and Percy greatly appreciated them.

Those dark brown eyes remained guarded, that seemingly impenetrable façade still intact, and those thin lips still quirked occasionally as Nico suppressed his smiles. But, it was in the enclosed room of just the two of them that a ghost of an actual _real_ smile would curl those lips, and the barest hint of fondness would grace those still cold eyes. Miniscule, but they were indications of improvement, and the mere sight of that small yet beautiful smile filled Percy with immeasurable pride.

None of them established what they were; none seemed to make a move. There was no name for what they were, or concrete definition of what the other meant for them. But if the slow and innocent kisses that they occasionally shared meant anything, it was in an understanding that none but them know.

Weeks flew past, inching closer and closer to the actual date of the recital. Some of their meetings had to be cut short to pave way for practices, but neither found a need to protest of it. For in that enclosed room, despite that added few presence, they could both delude that the bittersweet melodies were solely for the other.

If Annabeth had caught on with what was established between them, she breathed not a word of it, though her lips would often crease to beautiful smiles when she observed the occasional connection of their eyes.

The first time Perseus Jackson chanced upon Nico di Angelo was purely coincidental, and perhaps – in the complex perception of the former – _magical_. That perception of the first time he had seen Nico will never change, for it always had been a fact that there was something considerably _magical_ in the way by which the violinist played his music as if it were an extension of himself. It had always been captivating to watch, would _always_ be captivating to watch, even then as he watched from within the shadows of the seats as his violinist played the bittersweet music of his life, once, to a hundred strangers that gathered within the auditorium.

"So… you and Nico, huh?"

By his side was Jason Grace, and the lot of people in both circle of friends, showing their supports as Hazel Levesque, Annabeth Chase, and Nico di Angelo stepped into the stage. Like that first time, Nico di Angelo appeared ever so surreal in his eyes, adorning a pristine white button-up long-sleeved shirt and a tailored black suit. It was a simple attire, but it complemented the younger teen well. Under the glaring stage lights, those dark brown eyes gleamed like molten topaz instead.

A single yellow jonquil peeked from the breast pocket of his suit, oddly standing out in such a manner as if it did not belong there. But Percy and Nico knew better of what it was, and what it represented.

" _Do you know what this flower represent?"_ Nico had asked of him at the backstage.

" _Sympathy, desire for affection returned… 'Love me',"_ Percy stated with an almost goofy smile, shrugging slightly when the teen breathed out a short laugh. _"I did my research somehow. Will you accept it?"_

Nico breathed no response, but the act of him slipping the flower onto his breast pocket and the fond smile on his lips were enough for an answer.

"What are you and Nico, Jason?" Percy questioned in a hushed voice.

"Just friends. I like Nico, but I don't think he could see us being more than what we are," Jason offered, shrugging slightly. "Though I love Piper, though that doesn't mean that I won't kill you if you ever hurt him."

A small smile curled Percy's lips at that, and any conversation was cut short as that familiar bittersweet music started to play; the first melody that he had heart when he first saw the male sophomore.

 _His smooth jaw firmly rested along the chin rest and the lower back of the violin rested delicately on his peeking collar bones. His left hand rested perfectly in position along the top part of the neck of the violin, while his right hand was along his side as he rested, awaiting patiently for his parts to come to play._

Percy vividly remembered that day, and seeing him once more up on that stage helped resurface that memory.

 _When it was his time to play once more, Percy observed with such fascination how the bow glided smoothly along the strings, and the graceful and fluid movements of delicate fingers as they shifted from chord to chord. The violinist would flex his wrist in an elegant motion that was entirely too natural and too perfect in the eyes of the male junior student. The male sophomore had his posture fixed to a straight back, yet his body would often sway or dip in movements that would accentuate how he was getting lost within the music and would simply further captivate Percy's eyes. Those eyes that gleamed with the barest hint of topaz hues seemed to swirl like molten lava even from afar, expressing the purest emotions that its melody expressed. There was passion and affection along with the sensuality, and the barest hint of remorse that supported the bittersweet tune that was of the music._

It was the equally the same and different since that day, subtle changes that he registered now as he admired his figure from afar. That barest hint of remorse was now gone from those eyes, replaced with an affection and passion that was breathtakingly mellow.

 _One day, he will play a music about me. But it won't be that bittersweet music that had always been his life._

In the distance, their eyes met ever so briefly, but the ghost of faint smiles that creased their lips voiced out their thoughts loud and clear in the midst of the music – their bittersweet music.

* * *

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _finisce l'amore_


End file.
